Ahmi

Ahmi went missing six days ago when she jumped the fence after being startled by loud construction that took place next to the Hackettstown Animal Hospital. Ahmi was on the run and crossing highly travelled and extremely dangerous roads. It was not only scary for Ahmi, but terrifying for the family.

The evening I began working with the case. I met with Patty, the owner, at the Home Depot parking lot. While there, sightings came in, Ahmi was spotted running the vast grounds of the Hatchery. Once we were given access to property, the plan was to calmly walk their other dog, Reese and sit down and lure Ahmi. Patty was headed in with Reese and I was walking back to Home Depot, when all hell broke loose!

All of sudden I hear cars screeching to a halt, and people screaming and then I saw what I first thought as Ahmi running in the middle of route 57, but it wasn’t Ahmi… it was Resee!! Reese had pulled away from Patty and was running scared right in the middle of traffic. Thankfully she made a bee line straight back towards Home Depot and a housing development. She was finally corralled into Home Depot where we were able to safely retrieve her. One nightmare was over but we still had Ahmi on the run.

I explained to Patty how dogs feed on our energy and how important it was to stay calm and that everyone needed to stop foot searching. We needed to allow Ahmi to calm down and settle. Dogs on the run will make bad decisions when feeling threatened or being pursued. As hard as it was we needed everyone to back off or as I say “quiet the noise”.

I explained that most dogs will return to the point of escape which is often met with disbelief. The next morning Ahmi was spotted at the animal hospital. A trap was set but she kept her distance. She was still on the move but seemed to be slowing a bit and not traveling so far. She came back to the animal hospital three times but always stayed off in the distance watching. That night we had hoped that she would return to the trap. Patty and I sat all night waiting for her but of course that night of all nights there was extremely noisy road work Infront of the hospital with jack hammers…all night long into the early morning hours. Patty felt so defeated and was starting to lose hope.

We kept track of her sightings and her travel pattern was emerging. The trap stayed set but she never came back. Yesterday we had gotten permission on properties along her travel path to set up cameras and feeding stations. I was out trapping the other missing Aussie and on the phone with Patty going over our next steps when a cardinal flew in front of my car. I said to her “you know what that means” I had told her and one of the other vet techs that before every capture I see a cardinal. Well I didn’t just see one cardinal, I saw two and within the hour Patty FaceTimed me and lo and behold she had Ahmi on a leash. We had gotten a sighting a short time earlier of Ahmi walking up the driveway at the Elks club. Patty headed over with Reese and spotted something laying down. Patty immediately sat down and said “where have you been pup pup” and Ahmi came right over to her and Reese ending a six day nightmare.

As hard as it is, pulling everyone back and allowing the dog to not feel pursued allows the dog to calm its brain. There is synchronicity in everything and everything in its right timing.

I am so proud of you Patty and I know how absolutely devastating this was for you, your family and all the wonderful staff at the Hackettstown Animal Hospital.

Welcome HME Ahmi!